Contents

Biography

Carter, born in Daytona Beach, Florida, was a McDonald's All-American basketball player in 1995, out of Mainland High School in Daytona Beach.[1] After high school, Carter spent three seasons playing basketball at the University of North Carolina, before entering the 1998 NBA Draft. Carter enjoyed tremendous popularity during his initial years in the NBA, especially after showcasing his athletic abilities in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, in which he competed alongside his third cousin[2] and then teammate Tracy McGrady. He took the newly franchised Toronto Raptors to new heights, as he helped lead the team to three consecutive playoff berths. In 2004, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets, whom he currently plays for.

Carter also became a pioneer of the internet during his collegiate career. In 1995, Carter became the second collegiate athlete, after teammate Shammond Williams, to have a website dedicated to him.[4]

NBA career

Toronto Raptors

In 1998, Carter was drafted by the NBA's Golden State Warriors with the fifth overall pick, and then traded to the Toronto Raptors for Antawn Jamison, his college teammate and good friend.[5] His first agent was National Football League super agent William "Tank" Black who was later sent to prison in connection with money laundering and other charges. Carter's rookie season was the shortened 50-game 1999 season after the NBA locked out its players in 1998–99. Carter started almost every game for coach Butch Carter and eventually won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.[6] The next year, Carter was selected to an All-Star Team for the first time, averaged 25.7 ppg, made the Third Team All-NBA, and showcased his athleticism and dunking abilities in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He won the contest by performing an array of dunks including a 360° windmill, a between the legs bounce dunk, and an "elbow in the rim" dunk (also known as a "cookie jar" dunk or the "honey dip")."[5] Though he never competed in the dunk contest again for safety purposes, Carter was voted into the Eastern Conference NBA All-Star Team starting lineup several times through fan balloting.[7]

In Carter's first two seasons, he and his distant cousin Tracy McGrady formed a formidable one-two punch as Raptor teammates. The two led the Raptors to their first playoff berth in the 2000 NBA Playoffs, but they were swept by the New York Knicks in 3 games. Upon McGrady's departure to the Orlando Magic the following season, Carter became the Raptors' franchise player.

In the summer of 2001, Carter signed a $94-million, six-year extension with the Raptors.[11] In addition, Carter announced that he would be hosting a charity basketball game featuring fellow NBA stars that would be played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on August 3, 2001. The success of the first game encouraged Carter to make the game an annual summer event.

The next season was an injury-riddled one for Carter. He started in 60 games and he averaged 24.7 points per game. He was voted in the 2002 NBA All-Star Game but he couldn't participate due to injury. The Raptors did not fare well without their All-Star player. The team lost 17 of 18 games to drop to 30-38, then won 12 of their last 14 to finish at 42-40. Carter was injured during the 2002 Playoffs and his team was beat by the Pistons.

During his Raptors tenure, Carter developed jumper's knee[13] in his left knee. During the 2004 off-season, Carter became frustrated with the Raptors' management team as he was promised input by President Richard Peddie on the hiring of the next general manager. The Raptors failed to do so - Carter recommended Julius Erving[14], who arrived at Pearson Airport and never set foot at the Air Canada Centre for a legitimate meeting. On November 22, 2004, when pressed by the local media about his lack of dunks, Carter sarcastically responded, "I don't want to dunk anymore."[15] During his 2004-2005 season, Carter posted a 15.9-point scoring average on reduced playing time[16] before his eventual trade.

New Jersey Nets

Carter made it clear in the 2004 off-season that he wanted to be traded from the Raptors.[17] On December 17, 2004, Raptors General Manager Rob Babcock traded Carter to the New Jersey Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two future first-round draft picks. The trade to the Nets, combined with Carter's continually declining popularity with Raptors fans, also put an end to his charity basketball games in Toronto, with the last one being played in the summer of that year.

In early January 2005, he stated during a television interview with TNT's John Thompson to not giving effort in his last months as a Raptor; when asked if he always played hard, Carter replied, "In years past, no. I was fortunate to have the talent. You get spoiled when you're able to do a lot of things. You see that you don't have to work at it."[18] Though Carter's comments were perceived by Raptors fans as his confession to not giving his all as a Raptor,[19] Thompson said the comments were misinterpreted, saying, "That boy never said to me, 'Coach, I just laid down and quit.' ...I was embarrassed and felt awful about it for his sake, because I knew what he was communicating to me. I think he was more expressing a desire of wanting to do better, as we all do."[20] Despite Thompson's defense, publications including Sports Illustrated, the Toronto Star and ESPN.com have included pieces condemning Carter for offering a lacklustre effort in his last season as a Raptor.[21][22] The Toronto Star's Dave Feschuk wrote that Carter "cheated on (the Raptors). He quit on the floor."[23], and Carter has been booed by Raptors fans each time he has returned to play Toronto as a New Jersey Net.[24]

Carter guided the Nets to an eighth seed in the 2005 NBA Playoffs.[25] Although New Jersey was swept in the first round by the Miami Heat,[26] Carter finished the series with averages of 26.8 points per game, 8.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists;[16] highlighted by a buzzer-beating two-point fadeaway shot in the first overtime of Game 3 that forced a second overtime.[27]

Carter returned to Toronto on January 8, 2006 for the third time since his trade to the New Jersey Nets, and was given the same treatment by the fans that he received the first time he played against the Raptors in the Air Canada Centre.[28] With the Nets trailing 102–104, Carter hit the winning three-point shot with 0.1 seconds left on the game clock and finished with 42 points and 10 rebounds. Carter considers this winning shot as his greatest ever, considering the atmosphere, the emotion and the hostility in the arena.[29]

In the 2005-06 NBA season, he co-led the Nets to 49 wins, an Atlantic Division title, and the number three seed in the playoffs, while averaging 24.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He led the Nets to the second round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual NBA champions Miami Heat in five games. Carter averaged 29.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 11 playoff games.

After the Nets were eliminated from the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers (lost series 4-2), rumors of the Nets trading Carter again arose. After the New York Knicks and Nets discussed a trade around February of Carter (which was ended with the trading deadline), the two teams again revisited the subject. Carter, who opted out of his contract on June 30, reportedly wanted a three-year, $60 million deal however, which the Knicks are wary of. On July 1, 2007 Carter signed a 4-year $61.8 million contract with the Nets.[33]

On January 24, 2008, the Nets played on the road against the Golden State Warriors. The game was broadcast on TNT, and at the half-time show, Magic Johnson claimed that Carter's game was on the decline due to chronic injuries to his knees.[34] This was proven to be unfounded as Carter had hurt his ankle in an October game against the Boston Celtics which would hinder him throughout the 2007-2008 season. Hampered by injuries, Carter was not named as one of the reserves for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game.[35] This marked the first time in his NBA career Carter was not named as an All-Star since his rookie season, when the game was canceled due to the NBA Lockout. Despite playing with an ankle injury, Carter finished the season strong with averages of 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists after the All-Star break. [36] He was one of only three NBA players, along with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, to average at least 21 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the year, with averages of 21.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He led the Nets in freethrow percentage, assists and steals per game (81.6%, 5.1, 1.2). [37]Rod Thorn credited Carter for becoming a leader since the All-Star break, and said he believed that Carter could lead the Nets back to the playoffs the following year.[38] Carter's injury was confirmed after undergoing a successful arthroscopic ankle surgery in the off-season.[39]

For the 2008-09 season, Carter was voted team captain, a title that had been given to Jason Kidd for the previous 6 years.[40] On November 21 2008, in a return to Air Canada Centre to play the Toronto Raptors, Carter scored 39 points in an overtime 129-127 win. After making a three to send the game into overtime, he scored the winning basket, a reverse dunk off an inbounds pass from Bobby Simmons, with 2.1 seconds left.[41]

Phoenix Suns

Carter during his tenure with the Suns.On December 18, 2010, Carter was traded to the Phoenix Suns along with Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round draft pick, and $3 million, for Hedo Türkoğlu, Jason Richardson, and Earl Clark. When asked how he felt about being traded from Orlando, Carter replied, "They gave me an opportunity to play at home and they felt it was time to go in a different direction. You can't be mad about that. They've given me an opportunity to play somewhere else and still chase that dream.On January 16, 2011, Carter scored his 20,000th point, becoming only the 37th NBA player to reach that plateau. Although the back-court pairing of Carter and Steve Nash was successful together, the Suns ultimately missed the playoffs as they were in midst of a rebuilding phase.On December 9, 2011, Carter was waived by the Suns in the final year of his contract. Of the $18 million he was scheduled to make in the upcoming season, only $4 million of it was guaranteed.

Orlando Magic

On June 25, 2009, the day of the NBA Draft, Carter was traded to his hometown-team, the Orlando Magic with Ryan Anderson for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee; the Magic were searching for a go-to scorer who could take pressure off Dwight Howard. The Nets without Carter ended up going 12-70. Carter made his season debut with the Magic on October 28, 2009 against the Philadelphia 76ers at home, recording 15 points and 2 assists to help the Magic defeat the Sixers. On February 8, 2010, Carter scored a season-high 48 points in a 123-117 win against the New Orleans Hornets, including 34 points in the second half to help rally the Magic back from a 17-point deficit.

Dallas Mavericks

On December 12, 2011, Carter agreed to sign with the defending-champion Dallas Mavericks for a 3 year deal (two of which are not guaranteed), to reunite with former New Jersey teammate Jason Kidd.

Sacramento Kings (2017–present)

2000 Summer Olympics

During the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Carter performed a memorable dunk when he flew over 7-foot-2 (2.18 m) French center Frédéric Weis. Carter stole the ball, sprinted, took off - legs spread in midair, and hit Weis's head as he bent over to avoid the collision, before slamming the ball. Teammate Jason Kidd said it was "One of the best plays I've ever seen." The French media later dubbed it "le dunk de la mort" ("the Dunk of Death").[42] The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal that year.

Video game and TV appearances

Had an Cameo in the 2002 film Like Mike, where the fictional Los Angeles Knights had to beat Carter & the Toronto Raptors in order to gain the 8th seed in playoffs.

Also had a cameo in Fabolous's 2002 Music Video for "This Is My Party".

Off the court

He has donated large amounts of money to his former high school, Mainland High School as well as to his foundation, The Embassy of Hope. On February 3, 2007, a statue of Vince Carter was unveiled at the school.[49]